Rekindling of the Hearth
by srghostarc11
Summary: It's been months since Finn tricked her into fighting the Ice King, but Flame Princess can't still sleep at night. Maybe it isn't really a bad idea to check up on Finn, right? *One-shot tribute to 1000 Years Back*


Thanks to RawrRoarRawr for letting me connect this story with 1000 Years Back!

"Finn."

Flame Princess can't really tell what exactly prompted her to say Finn's name out loud. She looked around and noticed Cinnamon Bun staring at her with his round, innocent eyes.

"What's the matter, Princess?"

"It's nothing , my friend. Please resume entertaining my father."

Ever since her reign, CB never stopped badgering the previous ruler, her father, with childlike questions and antics. Couple that with the fact that his father is imprisoned in the very same glass container she was held before, made him more prickly than ever. Not that Flame Princess mind. The old coot deserve it.

"Finn."

There, she did it again. It's starting to become her mantra lately.

_What the heck is wrong with me?_

It's over, and they both knew it. That is at least as far as she knows, but what she felt is...not on the same terms. Maybe she is the one who is breaking her rule of honesty. Honesty, which is also the reason of their break-up. She doesn't really show it but she can't get over Finn's betrayal, no matter what his reasons are.

_Something about Cosmic Owl, dreams, and whatever._

"Finn."

But of course, she would be a hypocrite if she denied the fact that she still has feelings for that loud, fun-loving boy. These are the musings that she was desperately avoided these past few months after their break-up. Flame Princess tried drowning herself in leading the Fire Kingdom and doing daily tasks as a ruler. But sometimes, _well, maybe more than sometimes, _thoughts like what does Finn do, did he already moved on, and other zip hijack her already clouded mind.

Not that they did have a very serious relationship. Now, that's honesty, simple honesty. What could a 15 year old boy-who-lives-alone-with-his-dog and a 16 year old girl-who-lived-most-of-her-life-in-a-lamp possibly know about intimate relationships? Maybe she's deluded herself that Princes are meant for Princesses, and that nothing else matters.

_We never even got pass Tier 2, whatever Jake meant by that._

She reached into her left pocket and pulled out a rock; the very same rock they used to simulate kissing. _Don't blush now, FP! _She let out a sigh. Sometimes, Finn has the "best" ideas. Maybe, just maybe, making her fight Ice King was one of those ideas. Mentally slapping herself, Flame Princess placed a hurried kiss at the coal and placed it beside her scented candles; the very same candles Finn and Jake retrieved from her room and took the trouble to get

_Man, I remember their magic gasses. Nasty magic gasses._

She tried to force down her chuckle at the memory to no avail, earning looks from her father, Cinnamon Bun, and his fire cub Jack.

Those two wacky brothers may be complete nutcases at times but she couldn't deny that they were the ones who taught her life doesn't end in a glass lamp; that there were finer things in life, like blasting plastic bags filled with nasty gasses. Flame Princess wished that Finn did not include teaching her about break-ups though.

_Well at least I learned one thing from our break-up. _She recently learned that during the early stages of break-ups one does not think clearly; letting emotions run over rational reasoning. Heck, she even agreed to be subjected to Princess Bubblegum's research. Not that she knew about Bubblegum's reputation as a mad scientist during those times though. Flame Princess thought she could help her suppress her emotions, a way that she thought was the right thing to do at that time.

But now? All she ever wanted is honesty..._is it too much to ask for?_

The thing is, she was always honest to Finn, especially about what she felt or her opinions on things. Very much like the time they went to their first dungeon crawl in dingy cave of sorts filled with skeletons of varying nicks and knacks. She felt bored for the longer halve of the day because Finn wanted to do things his own way. Well, she taught him that her way is good too.

_A fireball here and a fire blast there, shattered skeletons everywhere._

She was very aware of their difference, and him too, as far she knew. Right from the very first time they really met, at their tree fort, she knew they are very different. Just by their physique, heck she can't even touch his buns without toasting them.

_Great Princess, now you're thinking of Finn's buns. Great._

The throne room suddenly got a tad bit hotter as her flames got more intense. Princess Bubblegum is indeed correct about her volatile attributes, then. True, her flames are well in synced with her emotions... She even nearly reached the limits of her power during his fight with the Ice King because of her unfounded fury.

The thing is, she can't stay mad at Finn for too long though. She felt more confused at his betrayal more than anger or sadness. She cannot fathom the purpose of lying. Not then, not now either. Not even if she is doing it too.

_Which brings me back to honesty._

_Which, in turn, brings me back to what I still feel for Finn._

_Do you still feel the same about me Finn?_

Standing up from her throne and stretching her arms and legs, Flame Princess bid Cinnamon Bun good night. It was too early to turn in but that innocuous rounded guy wouldn't mind.

"Princess, can I pretend to be the Flame King? I'm not yet sleepy."

"Of course CB, you could even sit at the throne. Just don't stay up too late, and if something happens, wake me up."

"You're so kind Princess King Flame."

She grimaced at CB's butchering of her title, but realizing too that indeed it is confusing. _Shouldn't I be Flame Queen? But then, I would need a King._

"Good night again, my friend."

If Cinnamon Bun heard her, she did not know for he is already having fun at the throne. Leaving him to his play time, she trudged into her room. Flame Princess then took off her Ruler's Suit and changed into her normal clothes. The lingering scent of her wonderful candles permeated in the room. She wondered how could Finn find it bad, basing on his phony Ice King's letter.

_And what the heck are face cheeks?_

She lit three of her scented candles. Flame Princess wished she did not have to resort such methods. But what can she have as an alternative. She's desperate to see what's up with Finn, but she does not what to be deemed nosy and blatantly admit she's still into him.

"Right. Desperate times, call for desperate measures."

Finn did not knew this but these candles always operate as pairs. You light one, and it's pair lights up too. The pairs of these candles she have happen to be somewhere in the tree fort. She hoped Finn did not forgot the candles in his backpack; she only wants to see Finn, not burn him.

The thing is, Fire Elementals can use fires as doors or windows, no matter how far. She prayed to Glob, Finn is not directly looking at the candles or else her plan will backfire. No pun intended.

"Stop squirming, you're getting me wet too!"

Flame Princess blushed at Finn's outburst. The tree fort candles seems to be in his room, but no Finn in sight. His voice seemed echoed, like someone speaking inside a tiled room such as bathrooms. _What the Glob are you doing Finn?_

"You know, we should do this more often. It feels nice...It's sure good of Jake to volunteer in buying your things for me. I mean, we could have this time instead."

It hit her, hard. So he wasn't talking to Jake, so who the crop is he talking too? In the bathroom?

"- thematical! HAHA! So what do you want to do tomorrow Little *clang*? Oops, my bad. Now where the zip is that soap?"

_Little? Little what?! Aaaagghhh Finn you dumbutt! Wait...maybe he's with BMO? Like Little BMO?_

Deciding it is no longer doing her good spying at her ex, she extinguished the candles and bit into her pillow. She needed to be calm, be calculating like Bubblegum. Having BMO in the bathroom seems perfectly normal for Finn, she thought. Besides, why does she even care who Finn takes to his bath tub with him? It's no longer her biz.

_But still..._

_I'll give it a week more...Hopefully when I have a clearer mind, I'll check up on him, personally._

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